The Parliament of the Cook Islands ( rar, Pāremeta te Kuku Airani) is the

legislature A legislature is an assembly with the authority to make law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its p ...

of the

Cook Islands ) , image_map = Cook Islands on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , capital = Avarua , coordinates = , largest_city = Avarua , official_languages = , lan ...

. Originally established under

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

’s United Nations mandate it became the national legislature on independence in 1965. The Parliament consists of 24 members directly elected by

universal suffrage Universal suffrage (also called universal franchise, general suffrage, and common suffrage of the common man) gives the right to vote to all adult citizens, regardless of wealth, income, gender, social status, race, ethnicity, or political stan ...

from single-seat constituencies. Members are elected for a limited term, and hold office until Parliament is dissolved (a maximum of four years). It meets in Avarua, the capital of the Cook Islands, on Rarotonga. The Cook Islands follows the Westminster system of government, and is governed by a cabinet and

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

commanding a majority in Parliament. The

Speaker of the House The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England. Usage The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hungerf ...

is currently

Tai Tura Tutai Tura (born 3 October 1949) is a Cook Islands politician and former member of the Cook Islands Parliament. Since March 2021 he has been Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament. He is a member of the Cook Islands Party. Tura was born on ...

. The Deputy Speaker is Tingika Elikana.

History

The Cook Islands Parliament ( rar, Kuku Airani Pāremeta) is descended from the Cook Islands Legislative Council established in October 1946. Established to provide for political representation and better local government in the islands, the Legislative Council was a subordinate legislature. It was empowered to legislate for the "peace, order, and good government" of the islands, but could not pass laws repugnant to the laws of New Zealand, appropriate revenue, impose import or export duties, or impose criminal penalties in excess of one year's imprisonment or a £100 fine. The council consisted of 20 members, ten "official" members appointed by the Governor-General of New Zealand and ten "unofficial" members drawn from the Island Councils, presided over by the

Resident Commissioner Resident commissioner was or is an official title of several different types of commissioners, who were or are representatives of any level of government. Historically, they were appointed by the British Crown in overseas protectorates (such ...

. Later regulations provided for the unofficial members to be split between the various islands, 3 from Rarotonga, 6 from the outer islands and 1 representing the islands' European population. The island representatives were elected annually, while the European representative was elected to a three-year term. The Legislative Council was reorganised in 1957 as the Legislative Assembly with 22 elected members and 4 appointed officials. Fifteen of the members were elected directly by secret ballot, and seven were elected by the Island Councils. In 1962, the Assembly was given full control of its own budget. In that year it also debated the country's political future and chose self-government in free association with New Zealand. On independence in 1965 it gained full legislative power. It was renamed the Parliament of the Cook Islands in 1981.Constitution Amendment (No 9) Act 1980-81, s5 Both the size and term of Parliament have fluctuated since independence. In 1965, it consisted of 22 members elected for a period of 3 years. The size was increased to 24 members in 1981, and again to 25 in 1991. It was reduced again to 24 members in 2003 when the overseas constituency created under the 1980–81 Constitution Amendment was abolished. The original three-year term was increased to four years in 1969, and five years in 1981. A

referendum A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...

to reduce it to four years failed to gain the necessary two-thirds majority in 1999, but passed in 2004.

Membership and elections

: ''See:

Elections in the Cook Islands The Cook Islands elects a legislature on a national level. The Parliament of the Cook Islands has 24 members, elected for a four-year term in single-seat constituencies. The Cook Islands has a two-party system, which means that there are two domin ...

.''

The Cook Islands Parliament takes the British House of Commons as its model. It consists of 24 members, known as "

Members of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...

" (MPs). Members are elected by

using the

first-past-the-post In a first-past-the-post electoral system (FPTP or FPP), formally called single-member plurality voting (SMP) when used in single-member districts or informally choose-one voting in contrast to ranked voting, or score voting, voters cast thei ...

system from single-seat constituencies. Ten MPs are elected from constituencies on the main island of Rarotonga, three each from the islands of

Aitutaki Aitutaki, also traditionally known as Araura and Utataki, is the second most-populated island in the Cook Islands, after Rarotonga. It is an "almost atoll", with fifteen islets in a lagoon adjacent to the main island. Total land area is , and the ...

and

Mangaia Mangaia (traditionally known as A'ua'u Enua, which means ''terraced'') is the most southerly of the Cook Islands and the second largest, after Rarotonga. It is a roughly circular island, with an area of , from Rarotonga. Originally heavily popul ...

, two from

Atiu Atiu, also known as Enuamanu (meaning ''land of the birds''), is an island of the Cook Islands archipelago, lying in the central-southern Pacific Ocean. Part of the Nga-pu-Toru, it is northeast of Rarotonga. The island's population has dropped b ...

, and one each from the islands of

Manihiki 250px, Map of Manihiki Atoll Manihiki is an atoll in the northern group of the Cook Islands known informally as the "Island of Pearls". It is located in the Northern Cook Island chain, approximately north of the capital island of Rarotonga, ma ...

Mauke Mauke (Ma'uke also Akatokamanava) is an island of the Cook Islands archipelago, lying in the central-southern Pacific Ocean. Part of the Nga-pu-Toru, it is northeast of Rarotonga. Geography Mauke is a raised coral atoll, with a central volcani ...

Mitiaro Mitiaro, the fourth island in the Cook Islands group, is of volcanic origin. Standing in water deep it is across at its widest point. Geography Mitiaro, also known as Nukuroa, is part of the Nga-Pu-Toru island group formerly, a volcano that bec ...

Penrhyn Penryn is a Cornish word meaning 'headland' that may refer to: *Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom, a town of about 7,000 on the Penryn River **Penryn railway station, a station on the Maritime Line between Truro and Falmouth Docks, and serves the t ...

Pukapuka Pukapuka, formerly Danger Island, is a coral atoll in the northern group of the Cook Islands in the Pacific Ocean. It is one of most remote islands of the Cook Islands, situated about northwest of Rarotonga. On this small island, an ancient ...

and

Rakahanga Rakahanga is part of the Cook Islands, situated in the central-southern Pacific Ocean. The unspoilt atoll is from the Cook Islands' capital, Rarotonga, and lies south of the equator. Its nearest neighbour is Manihiki which is just away. Raka ...

. The executive branch of the Cook Islands government (the Cabinet) draws its membership exclusively from Parliament, based on which party or parties can claim a majority. The

leads the government; the King's Representative appoints the Prime Minister from the party or coalition that has or appears to have enough support to govern. The Prime Minister and Cabinet hold office until the next election, or until they are defeated on a motion of confidence. The Cook Islands has a

two-party system A two-party system is a political party system in which two major political parties consistently dominate the political landscape. At any point in time, one of the two parties typically holds a majority in the legislature and is usually refe ...

, though independent members are not uncommon. The Prime Minister is currently Mark Brown of the

Cook Islands Party The Cook Islands Party is a nationalist political party in the Cook Islands. It was the first political party founded in the Cook Islands, and one of the two major parties of the islands' politics since 1965. From 1999 until 2005 it sometimes ...

and the leader of the opposition is Tina Browne, who leads the

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

Last election results

Summary of the 1 August 2022 Cook Islands election results:

Passage of legislation

The Cook Islands Parliament follows the model common to other Westminster systems for passing

Acts of Parliament Acts of Parliament, sometimes referred to as primary legislation, are texts of law passed by the legislative body of a jurisdiction (often a parliament or council). In most countries with a parliamentary system of government, acts of parliament be ...

. Laws are proposed to Parliament as bills. They become Acts after being approved three times by Parliament and receiving the assent of the King's Representative. Most bills are introduced by the government, but individual MPs can also promote their own bills, and one day a week is set aside for member's business. Debate is severely limited, with no debate on the First or Third readings, and possibly none on the Second. Voting is by voice vote or division, and there is no provision for proxy voting.

First Reading

The first stage of the process is the First Reading. The bill is formally presented to Parliament, and the short title is read by the Clerk. There is no debate, and no vote. For the purposes of the First Reading a bill may consist only of its short title.

Second Reading

The Second Reading may take place at any time up to a month after the first. There is normally a debate on the general principles and merits of the bill, with speeches of up to 20 minutes long.Standing Orders of the Parliament of the Cook Islands, Standing Order 391. If the bill is approved, then its long title is read, and it is either committed for the Committee of the whole House, or sent by motion to a Select Committee or to the

House of Ariki The House of Ariki () is a parliamentary body in the Cook Islands. It is composed of Cook Islands high chiefs (''ariki''), appointed by the King's Representative. While it functions in a similar way to the House of Lords and the Senate of Canada ...

. If a bill is intended to be sent to Select Committee or the House of Arikis, the Second Reading is ''pro forma'', and there is no debate.

Consideration by Select Committee or House of Ariki

Bills may be sent to a Select Committee or to the

for consideration. The committee or House of Ariki typically has three months to consider the bill, though this time may be extended. Parliament may give instructions extending or restricting the terms of the committee's or House or Ariki's consideration. Following consideration, the House votes on whether to adopt the committee or House of Ariki's report. If the motion passes, the bill goes straight to its Third Reading, without a Committee of the whole. Alternatively, the bill may be recommitted for consideration by the Committee of the Whole.

Committee of the whole House

When a bill reaches the Committee of the whole House stage, Parliament resolves itself "into committee", forming a committee of all MPs present to consider it. Each Member may speak up to three times on each clause or proposed amendment, for up to 10 minutes at a time, but debate is restricted to the details of the bill rather than its principles. The Committee may amend the bill as it sees fit, provided the amendments are relevant to the subject matter of the bill and the particular clause, and not inconsistent with any clause already agreed to. Amendments may be introduced during the debate, or in writing and placed on the Order Paper. When all clauses have been debated and amendments agreed to or negatived, the bill is reported back, and there is a final vote on whether the report of the committee is adopted by the House.

Third Reading

The Third Reading may be taken on the same day as a bill is reported back by the Committee of the whole, the House of Ariki or Select Committee. Minor amendments may be proposed for correcting errors or oversights, but no material amendments may be proposed. There is no debate. If the bill is passed, it is referred to the King's Representative for their assent.

Select committees

Legislation is scrutinised by select committees, which must consist of between five and seven members. Committees have the power to send for witnesses and records to assist in their deliberations. As in other Westminster Systems, the proceedings of select committees are protected by Parliamentary privilege. The number and roles of subject committees is regulated by Standing Orders.Standing Orders of the Parliament of the Cook Islands, Standing Order 316. Currently the following subject committees exist: In addition there are three standing select committees tasked with the regulation of parliament. These are:

Terms of the Cook Islands Parliament

The Parliament is currently in its 15th term.

References

External links

Parliament of the Cook Islands

Standing Orders of the Cook Islands Parliament

Constitution of the Cook Islands
{{National unicameral legislatures Politics of the Cook Islands Political organisations based in the Cook Islands